Sow-operated feed stall

Abstract

An animal feed stall having a rear opening adapted to be opened and closed by a pair of pivotal gates, a feed trough in the front of the enclosure having a pivotally mounted lid operatively connected through pivotal linkage mechanism to the pivotal gates, whereby an animal, such as a sow, upon entry into the feed stall, can elevate the lid with her nose to open the feed trough, and the operative linkage between the lid and the gates causes the gates to close while the animal is feeding within the stall.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A feed stall for an animal comprising: (a) an elongated enclosure frame large enough to receive a single animal therein, said enclosure frame having side walls, a front end and a rear opening to permit entry to and exit from the enclosure frame by the animal,   (b) a gate pivotally mounted on said enclosure frame for swinging movement to open and close said rear opening,   (c) a feed trough having an upper opening and mounted within said enclosure frame adjacent said front end,   (d) a lid mounted on said feed trough for movement between a closed position covering said upper opening, and an open position away from said upper opening to expose the contents of said feed trough for feeding,   (e) said lid in closed position having a portion adapted to be engaged and raised by the nose of an animal within said enclosure frame to said open position, and   (f) link means operatively connecting said lid and said gate, whereby movement of said lid from its closed position to its open position actuates said link means to move said gate to close said rear opening, and movement of said gate to open said rear opening actuates said link means to move said lid from its open position to its closed position.   
     
     
       2. The invention according to claim 1 further comprising means for pivotally mounting said lid upon said trough to swing between said open and closed positions, said link means comprising a lever arm connected to said pivotal mounting means and operatively connected to said gate. 
     
     
       3. The invention according to claim 2 in which said link means further comprises lever means pivotally mounted upon said frame enclosure and spaced from said lid and said gate, a first connecting rod pivotally connected to said lever arm and said lever means, and a second connecting rod pivotally connected to said lever means and said gate, to effect simultaneous pivotal movement of said lid and said gate. 
     
     
       4. The invention according to claim 3 in which said lever means is pivotally mounted on the upper portion of said front end of said enclosure frame, and said second connecting rod is pivotally connected to an upper portion of said gate and is located above the space normally occupied by an animal within said enclosure frame. 
     
     
       5. The invention according to claim 4 in which said gate comprises a first gate, and further comprising a second gate, hinge means mounting said first and second gates upon said enclosure frame for swinging movement about vertical axes toward and away from each other to open and close said rear opening, said second connecting rod being pivotally connected to said first gate, a front transverse shaft connected to and defining the pivotal axis of said lever means, a second lever member fixed to said front transverse shaft, a third connecting rod pivotally connected to said second lever means and to said second gate, whereby swinging movement of said lid causes simultaneous pivotal movement of said gates. 
     
     
       6. The invention according to claim 1 further comprising hinge means pivotally mounting said gate for swinging movement about a vertical axis, locking means comprising a stop member, and means mounting said stop member on said enclosure frame above said gate, when said gate is in said closed position, to prevent opening said gate. 
     
     
       7. The invention according to claim 6 in which said mounting means for said stop member comprises an elongated rod rotatably mounted on the upper portion of said enclosure frame, said stop member being fixed to said rotary rod for rotary movement therewith, and manual means for rotating said rod to pivotally move said stop member between an elevated position out of the swinging path of said gate and said lowered position locking said gate.